StarTimes Nigeria Celebrates Thrilling Start to FIFA Club World Cup

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kicked off on June 15 with drama, surprises, and high-scoring games as top clubs from across the globe clashed on football’s international stage.

Nigerian fans have been following the action live, thanks to StarTimes Nigeria, the official broadcaster of the tournament.

The opening fixture between Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and African giants Al Ahly ended in a goalless draw, but the tournament quickly picked up pace with several headline-grabbing results.

Bayern Munich made a bold statement with a 10-0 demolition of Auckland City, while Paris Saint-Germain swept aside Atletico Madrid with a 4-0 win. Chelsea also made a solid start, defeating LAFC 2-0.

However, the biggest surprise so far came when Real Madrid, one of the tournament favourites, were held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal.

African teams have experienced mixed fortunes. Al Ahly managed a draw against Inter Miami, Esperance Tunis lost 2-0 to Flamengo, and Wydad Casablanca fell by the same scoreline to Manchester City despite showing resilience.

The continent’s only victory came from Mamelodi Sundowns, who edged Ulsan HD FC of South Korea 1-0 to claim Africa’s first win of the tournament.

As Matchday 2 begins on June 19, fans can expect more intense action as the competition heats up. StarTimes is making sure viewers don’t miss a moment, with all matches available live via its satellite and streaming platforms.

In a bid to expand access, StarTimes has introduced a special offer to reward subscribers during the tournament.

“As part of our ongoing Chop Extra Promo, subscribers are enjoying free automatic upgrades across all bouquets,” a StarTimes official explained. “Nova Bouquet users are upgraded to Basic, giving them access to selected matches on Sports Life. Basic Bouquet subscribers move up to Classic, where they can watch most of the matches on World Football in both English and Pidgin commentary. Classic subscribers are bumped up to the Super Bouquet, unlocking full access to all matches on Sport Premium. And for our Super Bouquet customers, we’re adding an extra three days of viewing when they renew. It’s our way of ensuring more fans enjoy the FIFA Club World Cup without paying more.”

The promo runs until July 10. StarTimes is encouraging all fans of the game to stay tuned as more surprises, standout performances, and thrilling matchups unfold in the weeks ahead.

More updates, match schedules, and behind-the-scenes coverage are available across StarTimes Nigeria’s social media channels.